27 May 2008
Consumers in Shiremoor, Newcastle, have been urged to be vigilant after police discovered that an ATM machine had been altered, news that may concern those with credit cards.
Officers found that a skimming object - which can take card chip details - had been placed inside a machine in a Spar supermarket on Park Lane, reports the News Guardian.
Whitley Bay police's Detective Constable (DC) Simon Reid said that locals should ensure they take care when making transactions via these means.
He told the paper: "If members of the public do have any concerns that the machine they are about to use could have been tampered with, they should report it to the bank or store straightaway."
DC Reid also noted that nobody has had any money stolen from them at present as a result of the episode.
In related news, thieves attempting to take money from ATM machines at Morrisons in Southport set fire to the shop recently, the Southport Visitor said.